Boyfriend slays woman, commits suicide

TURKEY -- A Goldsboro woman was shot and killed Monday evening in Sampson County by her estranged boyfriend, who also shot at her mother as she fled the scene with the couple's two small children, authorities said.

The older woman and children escaped and the boyfriend then turned the gun on himself, detectives said.

The bodies of Marcela Rodriguez, 24, of 1724 Edgerton St., and Fransico Montenegro, 52, of 1155 Friendship Church Road, Faison, were discovered about a mile down a dirt path off of McGowan Road southwest of Faison in rural Sampson County, said Sampson County Sheriff's Capt. Eric Pope.

The cause of death appeared to be from gunshot wounds. Information released by the sheriff's office did not list the type of weapon used and investigators could not be reached for further comment prior to press time.

The Sampson County Sheriff's Office received a report about 6:45 p.m. Monday that a woman had been shot at on Interstate 40.

Deputies from Sampson and Duplin counties responded and discovered Ludvinia Reyes, 47, of 1724 Edgerton Street, standing on the shoulder of I-40 with two small children.

Ms. Reyes and the children had been the passengers in a car with Ms. Rodriguez and Montenegro, who was children's father.

According to Ms. Reyes, their vehicle had broke down on McGowan Road near the intersection with Pine Ridge Road. Ms. Reyes told deputies that her daughter and Montenegro got into an argument. Ms. Reyes said she became frightened, grabbed the children and ran into a wooded area, headed towards I-40. Montenegro fired at her as she fled, she told officers.

Ms. Reyes made it through the wooded area to I-40 where she flagged down a car to call 911.

Sampson deputies went to the intersection of McGowan Road and Pine Ridge Road and a short time later the bodies of Montenegro and Ms. Rodriguez were discovered, Pope said.

Pope said that based on evidence found at the scene that it appeared that Montenegro shot Ms. Rodriguez several times before taking his own life.

Pope said it has not been determined at what point Ms. Rodriguez had been shot.

"All she (Ms. Reyes) heard was gunshots behind her," he said.

A domestic violence protection order was issued in Duplin County for Montenegro in July of 2008 and was in effect until July 2009.

Pope said interviews revealed that Montenegro contacted Ms. Rodriguez and told her that he was leaving the country and wanted to sign the car over to her.

Montenegro picked up Ms. Rodriguez, their children and Ms. Reyes from their Goldsboro home under the pretense of carrying them to sign the vehicle over to them. Instead he drove them into Sampson County, where investigators believe his intent was to kill them, Pope said.

"Ms. Reyes and her grandchildren were fortunate to survive, however those kids lost their parents needlessly and Ms. Reyes lost a daughter," said Sampson Sheriff Jimmy Thornton. "It's heart-breaking to think that this man was going to kill his family. It boggles my mind that anyone could do this to a stranger, much less to someone they are naturally supposed to love."